[Kabar-Irian] News: Dec 9-20
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KABAR IRIAN NEWS
We again apologize for the lack of news. Christmas vacations and internet
problems continue to affect us. Thank you for your understanding. Kami
minta maaf (lagi!) atas kekurangan pelayanan kami. Sebagian staff kami
lagi cuti. Kemudian kami tetap mengalami kesulitan dengan internet kami.
Biasanya kami juga mengirim berita dalam bahasa Indonesia tapi sementara
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pelayanan baik. Merry Christmas dan Selamat Natal.
Nov Dec 9-19
TOPICS
* Six Indons charged with having Bird of Paradise
* Indonesian rebels kill two soldiers in Papua
* 2 soldiers killed in rebel strike in Papua, Indonesia
* Clash leaves two dead in Indonesia's Papua province
* Officers die in Papua attack
* Mulia quiet, stores closed after shooting
* Secret Files Show U.S. Support for Indonesia, Human Rights Abuses by
Indonesian Military.
* Respite For West Papuans At 8-Mile
* Palm Oil Exports Targeted at 12 Million Tons
* BP Indonesia hoping for the other 900 mln usd neeed for Tangguh project
in 2007
* West Papua: Freeport Environmental Policies Questioned
* Mimika elections hindered by legislative row
* Security pact of mutual suspicion
* Reforestation program launched in Papua
* Chinese team in Papua as part of proposed hydroelectric power project
* West Papua Benefit
---
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/9/courts/16272248&sec=courts
Six Indons charged with having Bird of Paradise
KUALA LUMPUR: Six Indonesian tourists have been charged in a magistrate’s
court here with having 10 Cenderawasih (Greater Bird of Paradise) – a
protected species.
They were allegedly caught with the yellowish gold and dark brown coloured
birds, which were found in two boxes, at two budget hotels in Lorong Haji
Taib 4 at 12.45am on Dec 3.
The case is the first in the country of people charged with possession of
the protected birds.
Ridwan, 36; Endi Putra, 29; Mohamad Bahrudin, 31 and Sha Fli, 36 pleaded
guilty to the charge while Sumardi, 23 and Sya Frudin, 35, claimed trial.
They claimed to be practitioners of traditional medicine.
HIGHLY PRIZED: Wildlife department officer Mustaza Herman showing the
Greater Bird of Paradise which were seized from the Indonesians on Dec 3.
The birds are listed under a Schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972,
Upon hearing their charge, the six, who came to the country on tourist
visas, appeared relaxed and chatted with each other.
They could be fined a maximum of RM3,000 or jailed up to three years’ jail
or both under Section 68 of the same Act (amended 1988).
Wildlife and National Parks Department enforcement division deputy
director Celescoriano Razond had lodged a police report over the matter.
The department's prosecuting officer Shamsuddin Osman did not offer bail
for the six accused on grounds that they were foreigners.
At this juncture, magistrate Azniza Mohd Ali asked the accused if they had
two Malaysian sureties to be their bailors.
To this, they said they could only afford to bring one local bailor.
Azniza set Jan 15 for the hearing of the statement of facts and sentencing
of the four accused who pleaded guilty and mention of the cases of the two
who claimed trial.
Speaking to reporters later, Shamsudin said the birds could only be found
in Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea.
He said the birds were being sold in the black market at RM10,000 each.
---
http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Indonesian_rebels_kill_two_soldiers_12092006.html
Indonesian rebels kill two soldiers in Papua
dpa German Press Agency
Published: Saturday December 9, 2006
Jakarta- Military forces in Indonesia's troubled Papua province have
intensified the hunt for alleged separatist rebels from the Free Papua
Movement (OPM), following an attack that left two soldiers dead, officials
said Saturday. "Our officers were trying to pursue them to come out and
give up their weapons, but instead, they killed them and burned their
bodies," Lieutenant Colonel Iman Santosa, military spokesman in Papua
province, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
"We are also trying to find two others civilians who went missing after
the incident," He said.
The attack was the latest serious violence amid a sporadic insurgency that
has simmered for decades. The OPM has been fighting a separatist rebellion
on and off since the early 1960s in Papua, formerly Irian Jaya.
The latest violence comes after four police officers and a soldier were
killed a few months ago during a demonstration against the vast US-owned
gold and copper mine in the province.
A similar attack on an Indonesian military post killed four troops in
recent months.
International human-rights groups have frequently expressed deep concern
over an anti-insurgency operation in Papua launched by Indonesian military
forces, saying it has undermined peace and stability in the province.
Jakarta has strongly denied the allegations.
Papua, a predominantly Melanesian province, is a former Dutch colony that
became an Indonesian province in 1964. The province has remained one of
Indonesia's poorest regions despite abundant natural resources including
natural gas, timber, gold and copper.
© 2006 dpa German Press Agency
----
http://english.people.com.cn/200612/09/eng20061209_330566.html
2 soldiers killed in rebel strike in Papua, Indonesia
One soldier from the Indonesian Armed Forces special unit and a retired
army man were killed in a preemptive strike allegedly launched by members
of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM) in Papua province,
military spokesman said Saturday.
The attack occurred on Friday on Mulia town in Puncak Jaya district when
four military men were engaging in a community development activity, said
Rear Admiral Moh. Sunarto.
"One soldier and a retired soldier were shot dead," he told Xinhua.
The spokesman said that the case is now under the investigation.
The Free Papua Organization has campaigned for more than 30 years to break
away from Indonesia. The organization has insisted on seeking
international support through some international forum and taking up arms.
Lying at the eastern end of the huge archipelago, the vast province was
incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 under a UN-backed vote by community
leaders after Jakarta took over the province from Dutch colonial rule in
1963.
Source: Xinhua
---
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/bulletins/rnzi/200612111249/clash_leaves_two_dead_in_indonesias_papua_province
Clash leaves two dead in Indonesia's Papua province
Posted at 12:49pm on 11 Dec 2006
An Indonesian military official says two people including an Indonesian
military officer were killed in a clash between security forces and
separatists in the remote eastern province of Papua.
The clash happened after the officer and some residents tried to enter a
separatist camp southwest of Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia's Papua
province.
No other details were available.
Papuan independence activists have waged a campaign for more than 30 years
to break away from Indonesia while a low-level armed rebellion has also
simmered for decades.
Human rights groups have accused the Indonesian military of widespread
abuses in Papua.
Copyright © 2006 Radio New Zealand International
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061210.A03
Officers die in Papua attack
National News - December 10, 2006
Rebels in Papua allegedly shot and killed a military officer and a retired
officer while they were on a security assignment, an official said
Saturday.
Second Brig. Joko Susanto of the Army's Special Forces Kopassus and Brig.
(ret.) Tobias Firken were fatally shot Friday by armed civilian troops
believed to belong to the Free Papua Movement, led by Goliat Tabuni.
The remains of the two were recovered by residents from Kimibaga hill, two
kilometers east of Mulia city in Puncak Jaya regency. The rebels had set
the bodies alight.
Joko's remains were flown to Jayapura (see photo) Saturday and then to
Jakarta while Tobias's body was taken to Nabire for burial.
"Their remains arrived at Mulia hospital at 7 a.m. The bodies were badly
burned," Jafar, the regency's secretary, told The Jakarta Post.
Three hours after the bodies were evacuated by locals, the rebels then
hoisted the outlawed Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag.
Commander of Praja Vira Braja military command, Col. Herma Tedez, told the
Post from Biak he would investigate the incident. The command's authority
covers Biak, Nabire, Paniai and Puncak Jaya regencies.
However, he said he did not understand the motive behind the incident,
saying Goliat's group and Joko had good relations. The group, he said, had
even expressed the intention of disarming.
A small and poorly armed group of insurgents has been engaged in a
secessionist movement in the province over the last three decades, mostly
launching hit-and-run attacks on isolated security posts. (JP/Nethy Dharma
Somba)
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061211.G02&irec=1
Mulia quiet, stores closed after shooting
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
The situation in Mulia, the capital of Papua's Puncak Jaya regency, where
a military officer and a retired officer were shot and killed last week,
returned to normal Sunday, an official said.
Second Brig. Joko Susanto of the Army's Special Forces Kopassus and Brig.
(ret.) Tobias Firken were shot dead Friday by armed civilian troops
believed to belong to the Free Papua Movement, led by Goliat Tabuni.
Tabuni is the leader of the separatist movement that has conducted a
low-profile armed resistance in Papua since before Indonesia took over the
western half of New Guinea island from the Dutch in the 1960s.
The poorly-armed and badly coordinated OPM is made up of various groups,
some wielding only arrows and spears.
The remains of the two officers, who were in the area on a security
assignment, were recovered by residents from Kimibaga hill, two kilometers
east of Mulia city. The rebels had set the bodies alight.
Commander of Praja Vira Braja military district Col. Herman Tedez told The
Jakarta Post from Biak that many residents had felt safe enough to leave
their houses and attend church Sunday.
"The situation has already been conducive, the residents are
non-aggressive," Herman said, adding he had not flown to Puncak Jaya after
the shooting. "There hasn't been an order from military commander."
Despite the increasingly calm situation in Mulia city, M. Jafar, an
assistant to the regional secretariat of Puncak Jaya regency, said that
many people were still reluctant to go out of their houses.
Many kiosks were still closed those who dared to open for business were
conducting all transactions through small windows, he said.
"The situation is calm, but residents of the hills near the rebel hiding
place still prefer to stay indoors ... and during the night the area was
deserted," he said.
Indonesia won sovereignty over Papua, formerly a Dutch colony, in 1969
after a referendum widely seen as a sham.
Papuans have long accused Indonesia's military of violating human rights
in the province and complain that the bulk of earnings from its rich
natural resources flow to Jakarta.
Jafar said that a group of nearly 300 people insisted on continuing a
camping expedition at Kimibaga hill, about two kilometers from Mulia.
"I hope they do not provoke the security officers by hoisting again the
Bintang Kejora flag," he said, referring to the symbol of the Papuans'
struggle.
---
http://www.fpcn-global.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=192
Secret Files Show U.S. Support for Indonesia, Human Rights Abuses by
Indonesian Military.
Washington, D.C. - July 8, 2004 - "You should tell [Suharto] that we
understand the problems they face in West Irian," national security
adviser Henry Kissinger wrote President Nixon on the eve of Nixon's July
1969 visit to Indonesia. On the 35th anniversary of West Papua's so-called
"Act of Free Choice" and Indonesia's first direct presidential elections,
the National Security Archive posted recently declassified documents on
U.S. policy deliberations leading to Indonesia's controversial 1969
annexation of the territory. The documents detail United States support
for Indonesia's heavy-handed takeover of West Papua despite overwhelming
Papuan opposition and United Nations requirements for genuine
self-determination.
Background
When Indonesia gained its independence from the Netherlands in 1949, the
Dutch government retained control over the territory of West New Guinea.
>From 1949 until 1961 the Indonesian government sought to "recover" West
New Guinea (later known as West Irian or West Papua), arguing that the
territory, a part of the former Netherlands East Indies, rightfully
belonged with Indonesia.
In late 1961, after repeated and unsuccessful attempts to secure its goals
through the United Nations, Indonesia's President Sukarno declared a
military mobilization and threatened to invade West New Guinea and annex
it by force. The Kennedy administration, fearing that U.S. opposition to
Indonesian demands might push the country toward Communism, sponsored
talks between the Netherlands and Indonesia in the spring of 1962.
Negotiations took place under the shadow of ongoing Indonesian military
incursions into West New Guinea and the threat of an Indonesian invasion.
The U.S.-sponsored talks led to the August 1962 New York Agreement, which
awarded Indonesia control of West New Guinea (which it promptly renamed
West Irian) after a brief transitional period overseen by the UN. (Note 1)
The agreement obligated Jakarta to conduct an election on
self-determination with UN assistance no later than 1969. Once in control,
however, Indonesia quickly moved to repress political dissent by groups
demanding outright independence for the territory.
U.S. officials understood at the outset that Indonesia would never allow
West Irian to become independent and that it was unlikely to ever allow a
meaningful act of self-determination to take place. The Johnson and Nixon
administrations were equally reluctant to challenge Indonesian control
over West Irian, especially after the conservative anti-Communist regime
of General Suharto took over in 1966 following an abortive coup attempt
which led to the slaughter of an estimated 500,000 alleged Communists.
Suharto quickly moved to liberalize the Indonesian economy and open it to
the West, passing a new foreign investment law in late 1967. The first
company to take advantage of the law was the American mining company
Freeport Sulphur, which gained concessions to vast tracts of land in West
Irian containing gold and copper reserves. (Note 2)
Over six weeks from July to August 1969, U.N. officials conducted the
so-called "Act of Free Choice." Under the articles of the New York
Agreement (Article 18) all adult Papuans had the right to participate in
an act of self-determination to be carried out in accordance with
international practice. Instead, Indonesian authorities selected 1022 West
Papuans to vote publicly and unanimously in favor of integration with
Indonesia.
Despite significant evidence that Indonesia had failed to meet its
international obligations, in November 1969 the United Nations "took note"
of the "Act of Free Choice" and its results, thereby lending support of
the world body to Indonesia's annexation.
Thirty-five years later, as Indonesia holds its first-ever direct
Presidential elections, the international community has come to question
the validity of Jakarta's takeover of West Papua and the ongoing human
rights abuses there. In March, 88 members of the Irish Parliament urged
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to review the United Nations'
role in the 1969 Act of Free Choice, joining South African Archibishop
Desmond Tutu and scores of non-governmental organizations and European
Parliamentarians. On June 28, 2004, nineteen U.S. Senators sent a letter
to Annan urging the appointment of a Special Representative to Indonesia
to monitor the human rights situation in West Papua and the territory of
Aceh.
The Documents
The Archive's postings include a confidential February 1968 cable from
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Marshall Green. Following a conversation with
Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik about the situation in West Irian,
Green concluded that conditions in the territory are "far from
satisfactory and deteriorating." A subsequent cable reported that
Indonesia is "belatedly and almost desperately seeking to develop support
among the peoples of West Irian" for the "Act of Free Choice."
A consular trip to West Irian in early 1968 observed that "the Indonesian
government directs its main efforts" in the territory to "maintaining
existing political facilities and suppressing political dissent." Because
of neglect, corruption and repression at the hands of Indonesian
authorities, Western observers agreed almost unanimously that "Indonesia
could not win an open election" and that the vast majority of West Irian's
inhabitants favored independence.
In July of 1968 the UN-appointed Ambassador Fernando Ortiz Sanz arrived in
Jakarta as the Secretary General's Special Representative for assisting
Indonesia with the West Irian plebiscite, as called for by the 1962 New
York Agreement.
A confidential cable from the U.S. Embassy to the State Department
outlined the stakes in the upcoming "Act of Free Choice." While cautioning
that the U.S. government "should not become directly involved in this
issue," Ambassador Green worried that Ortiz Sanz or other UN members might
"hold out for free and direct elections" in West Irian, frustrating
Indonesia's intention to retain the territory at all costs. Consequently,
U.S. and other Western officials worried about the need to meet with Ortiz
Sanz to "make him aware of political realities." In a confidential October
1968 Airgram the U.S. Embassy reported with relief that Ortiz now
"concedes that it would be inconceivable from the point of view of the
interest of the U.N., as well as the GOI, that a result other than the
continuance of West Irian within Indonesian sovereignty should emerge."
The Indonesian government firmly rejected the possibility of a one-person,
one-vote plebiscite in West Irian, insisting instead on a series of local
'consultations' with just over 1,000 hand selected tribal leaders (out of
an estimated population of 800,000), conducted in July 1969 with between
6,000-10,000 Indonesian troops spread throughout the territory. As the
U.S. Embassy put it in a July 1969 telegram:
The Act of Free Choice (AFC) in West Irian is unfolding like a Greek
tragedy, the conclusion preordained. The main protagonist, the GOI, cannot
and will not permit any resolution other than the continued inclusion of
West Irian in Indonesia. Dissident activity is likely to increase but the
Indonesian armed forces will be able to contain and, if necessary,
suppress it.
Ambassador Frank Galbraith noted on July 9, 1969 that past abuses had
stimulated intense anti-Indonesian and pro-independence sentiment at all
levels of Irian society, suggesting that "possibly 85 to 90%" of the
population "are in sympathy with the Free Papua cause." Moreover,
Galbraith observed, recent Indonesian military operations, which resulted
in the deaths of hundreds, possibly thousands of civilians, "had
stimulated fears and rumours of intended genocide among the Irianese."
President Nixon and national security adviser Henry Kissinger visited
Jakarta in July 1969 while the "Act of Free Choice" was underway.
Improving relations with Indonesia's authoritarian regime was clearly
uppermost in the mind of Kissinger, who characterized Suharto as a
"moderate military man … committed to progress and reform." In Nixon's
secret briefing papers (Document 9 and Document 10) for the visit
Kissinger flatly told the President "you should not raise this issue" of
West Irian and argued "we should avoid any U.S. identification with that
act." The White House generally held to this position throughout the
period preceding and following the "Act of Free Choice."
Although they recognized the deep flaws in the Act and in Indonesia's
intentions, U.S. officials were not interested in creating any problems
for a Suharto regime they saw as nonaligned but pro-Washington. While the
U.S. was unwilling to actively intervene on Indonesia's behalf (an action
they thought unnecessary and counterproductive) at the UN to insure quick
General Assembly acceptance of Indonesia's formal takeover of West Papua,
the U.S. quietly signaled that it was uninterested in a lengthy debate
over an issue it viewed as a foregone conclusion and marginal to U.S.
interests. In a secret briefing memo for a meeting with Indonesia's
Ambassador to the United States Soedjakmoto, a State Department official
expressed confidence that international criticism of the "Act of Free
Choice" would quickly fade, allowing the Nixon Administration to move
forward with its plans for forging closer military and economic ties with
the authoritarian regime in Jakarta.
Documents
NOTE: The documents featured below were selected for inclusion in this
Electronic Briefing Book. Click here to download the complete set of
documents on this issue (PDF - 7.6 MB).
Document 1
February 29, 1968
Subject: West Irian
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Telegram
The U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Marshall Green reports on a conversation
with Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik on West Irian. Malik suggests
the possibility of reducing the more than 10,000 Indonesian troops serving
in Irian. He also hints Indonesia will insist on indirect means for
ascertaining the wishes of the inhabitants of the territory in 1969,
perhaps relying on tribal leaders who can be induced with "favors for them
and their tribes." Green expresses concern about the "deteriorating"
situation.
Document 2
May 2, 1968
Subject: West Irian
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Telegram
U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Marshall Green, reports on a conversation
with Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik in which Malik outlines some
of the measures Jakarta is undertaking in an attempt to build support
among the people of West Irian for merger with Indonesia.
Document 3
May 10, 1968
Subject: Consular Trip to West Irian
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Airgram
In January, 1968 Embassy Political Consul Thomas Reynders visits West
Irian for one month. Reynders observes the relatively low level of
economic development in the territory since Indonesia assumed control in
1962, noting that "The Indonesian government's presence in West Irian is
expressed primarily in the form of the Army." Reynders concludes, as have
nearly all Western observers, that "Indonesia will not accept Independence
for West Irian and will not permit a plebiscite that would reach such an
outcome" and notes the "antipathy or outright hatred believed to be
harbored toward Indonesia and Indonesians by West Irians in the relatively
developed and sophisticated areas."
Document 4
August 20, 1968
Subject: The Stakes in West Irian's "Act of Free Choice"
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Telegram
US Ambassador Marshall Green suggests "Act of Free Choice" in West Irian
"May well be the most important political issue in Indonesia during the
coming year." Notes Indonesian "dilemma" in seeking "to devise some
meaningful way to conduct ascertainment which will not involve real risks
of loss of West Irian." Green reminds the State Department, in urging a
hands-off approach by the U.S., that "we are dealing here essentially with
stone age, illiterate tribal groups" and that "free elections among groups
such as this would be more of a farce than any rigged mechanism Indonesia
could devise."
Document 5
August 4, 1968
Subject: "Act of Free Choice" in West Irian
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Telegram
Marshall Green writes to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East
Asian and Pacific G. McMurtry Godley expressing concern over the views of
U.N. Special Representative for West Irian Ortiz Sanz. Green recommends
that "in view of high stakes … we should do anything we can indirectly to
make him aware of political realities" regarding Indonesian intentions
toward West Irian.
Document 6
October 4, 1968
Subject: West Irian
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Airgram
Embassy Political Consul Jack Lydman describes the results of Ortiz Sanz's
recent orientation visit to West Irian and asserts that Sanz is now
"attempting to devise a formula for an "act of free choice" in West Irian
which will result in an affirmation of Indonesian sovereignty" yet "stand
the test of international opinion."
Document 7
June 9, 1969
Subject: Assessment of Irian situation
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Telegram
On the eve of the "Act of Free Choice," the U.S. embassy offers a highly
critical appraisal of Indonesia's determination to insure West Irian's
integration, concluding that from Jakarta's standpoint "separation is
unthinkable." After detailing Indonesian efforts to repress "increasingly
desperate" supporters of independence for West Irian, Embassy concludes
with concern for "future Indonesian relations with Irianese," many of whom
display a "festering antagonism and distrust of Indonesians."
Document 8
June 9, 1969
Subject: West Irian: The Nature of the Opposition
U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Confidential Airgram
Galbraith offers a detailed assessment of the views of various Irian
groups opposed to integration with Indonesia and advocating independence,
including the Free Papua Movement (OPM). He observes that "opposition to
the GOI stems from economic deprivation over the years, military
repression and capriciousness, and maladministration," and suggests that
anti-Indonesian groups will be unable to alter the final outcome of the
"Act of Free Choice."
Documents 9 and 10
June 10 and July 18, 1969
Subject: Djakarta Visit: Your Meetings with President Suharto
Henry Kissinger, Memorandum for the President
National security adviser Henry Kissinger briefs President Nixon on his
visit to Indonesia and likely conversations with Indonesian President
Suharto. Kissinger argues that there is no U.S. interest in getting
involved in the issue of West Irian and that it is certain its people will
choose integration with Indonesia. In Nixon's talking points, Kissinger
urges that the President refrain from raising the issue except to note
U.S. sympathy with Indonesia's concerns.
Document 11
August 25, 1969
Subject: Call by Indonesian Ambassador Soedjakmoto
U.S. State Department, Secret Memorandum
Paul Gardner briefs Assistant Secretary of State Marshall Green on his
visit with Indonesian Ambassador to the U.S. Soedjakmoto, who is expected
to ask for help from the U.S. in "preparing smooth U.N. handling" of the
"Act of Free Choice" in the General Assembly.
Notes
1. For an excellent overview of the events leading up to the New York
Agreement, see Jones, Matthew. Conflict and Confrontation in Southeast
Asia, 1961-1965: Britain, the United States, Indonesia and the Creation of
Malaysia (Cambridge: Cambridge Press, 2002): 31-62; C.L.M. Penders. The
West New Guinea Debacle: Dutch Colonization and Indonesia, 1945-1962
(Hawaii, 2002); John Saltford. The United Nations and the Indonesian
Takeover of West Papua, 1962-1969 (Routledge, 2003).
2. Denise Leith. The Politics of Power: Freeport in Suharto's Indonesia
(Hawaii, 2003).
From: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB128/index.htm
Note: Secret Files Show U.S. Support for Indonesia, Human Rights Abuses by
Indonesian Military
Edited by Brad Simpson
simpbrad@isu.edu / 208-282-3870
---
Translation not by KI. Article believed to be abridged.
Sender: tribal-melanesia@yahoogroups.com
Cendrawasih Pos, December 13, 2006:
TNI warns of tough acts against rebels
The Indonesian Military (TNI) signaled Tuesday that it might no longer
pursue a persuasive approach in dealing with Papuan rebels group for their
alleged involvement in the deaths of an army special forces soldier and a
retired military officer in Puncak Jaya last week.
Armed forces chief Djoko Suyanto said Tuesday the military would not
hesitate to compromise human rights for the sake of national integrity.
"We will not buy the human rights issue in Papua which has been promoted
by certain NGOs. We are not afraid of being accused of violating human
rights because the threat to national integrity is real out there,"
Suyanto said.
---
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00332.htm
Respite For West Papuans At 8-Mile
Tuesday, 19 December 2006, 11:18 am
Press Release: Pacific Media Watch
Respite For West Papuans At 8-Mile
By Harlyne Joku
PORT MORESBY (The National/Pacific Media Watch) - More than 214 West
Papuan refugees at the 8-Mile Settlement in the Papua New Guinea capital
of Port Moresby no longer face threats of eviction.
The Waigani District Court has ordered an extension of the injunction to
Feb 15.
The court briefly heard their case last Friday afternoon and decided on
the injunction, which will allow the families to remain at 8-Mile.
Deputy chairman of the 8-Mile community committee Joseph Marshall Ore said
yesterday that the West Papuan families were happy that they would still
have their homes throughout the festive period.
He said the civil rights lawyer representing them, Powes Parkop, said they
had a strong case to pursue. He also met with them yesterday.
An officer from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees said she
had followed up on the issue with the Secretary for Lands Pepi Kemas last
week and was advised that they (Lands Department) had no knowledge of the
eviction notice and were also of the opinion that it was a forged
document.
Police were also not aware of any eviction notice or instructions to
physically evict the people.
The families were threatened with an eviction notice in October which
lapsed on Nov 15 and had been pursuing the matter in court since then.
The West Papuans, originally from the East Awin Refugee camp, had settled
in Port Moresby.
They fled Indonesia’s Papua province in the early 1980s pursuing
independence. They first settled at 8-Mile after Sir Pita Lus verbally
agreed to have them settle there.
After allowing them to settle there for 20 years, Sir Peter decided to
bring in an Asian investor to develop the land.
+++niuswire
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
http://www.pmw.c2o.org
---
http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/ekbis/2006/12/18/brk,20061218-89679,uk.html
Palm Oil Exports Targeted at 12 Million Tons
Monday, 18 December, 2006 | 14:54 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The government is targeting palm oil exports
in 2010 of as much as 12 million tons out of total production of 18
million tons per year.
The remainder is to meet domestic demand.
Ahmad Manggabarani, Director General of Plantations at the Agriculture
Department, said the government has made export and production projections
for this prima donna agriculture commodity every five years.
For exports, he said, in 2010 these would reach 12.5 million tons, in 2015
they would rise by 25 percent or around 15 million tons, and in 2020, 16
million tons.
>From the production requirement aspect, Ahmad said that the Agriculture
Department has projected that in 2010 it would be 18 million tons, in
2015, 21 million tons and in 2020, it would rise by 15 percent or to 24
million.
“We are optimistic that the palm oil plantation revitalization will
probably be the most successful,” he said.
For domestic demand, Ahmad detailed that in 2010 this would be 5 million
tons, in 2015, 6.5 million tons and in 2020, 6.5 million tons.
“So far palm oil production has reached 13 million tons, exports 10
million tons and domestic demand fulfillment 3.5 million tons,” he said.
Measures related to land extension and revitalization, said Ahmad, will be
started next year in several locations including Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam,
North Sumatra, Jambi, Riau, Riau Islands, West Sumatra, Banten, Bali, West
Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Papua and West Irian
Jaya.
“Each location will be increased by between 10 and 20 percent on average
from the current size, and revitalization will be carried out at between
10 and 15 percent of the existing situation,” he said.
INDRA MR
---
http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=38141457174811
BP Indonesia hoping for the other 900 mln usd neeed for Tangguh project in
2007
JAKARTA (XFN-ASIA) - BP Indonesia hopes to secure the remaining 900 mln
usd needed for the Tangguh liquefied natural gas project by the end of
next year, according to the company's executive vice-president in charge
of the Tangguh enterprise, Budiman Parhusip.
'We're currently in talks with a consortium led by Chinese banks,'
Parhusip told journalists.
BP had said previously that it expected to secure the 900 mln usd by the
end of this year.
Parhusip said the delay 'will not disturb the development of the LNG
project,' but otherwise declined to comment on it.
'The Tangguh project is now more than 50 pct complete and on schedule to
begin operations in the last quarter of 2008,' Parhusip said.
In August, BP and its partners signed a 2.6 bln-usd loan agreement with
the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the Asian Development Bank
and several international commercial banks to finance the Tangguh LNG
project.
Parhusip said drilling would start in May next year, with 15 wells to be
sunk initially.
The Tangguh LNG project has secured long-term LNG sales deals with four
customers: 2.6 mln tons per year will be sold to the Fujian LNG project in
China, up to 0.6 mln tons to K-Power in South Korea, 0.55 mln tons to
POSCO in South Korea and 3.6 mln tons to Sempra Energy LNG Marketing Corp
in Mexico.
BP has a stake of 37.16 pct in the LNG project through wholly owned units
BP Breau Ltd, BP Muturi Holds BV and BP Wiriagar Ltd, while CNOOC Ltd owns
16.96 pct, MI Berau BV 16.3 pct, Nippon Oil Exploration (Berau) Ltd 12.23
pct, KG Berau/KG Wiriagar 10 pct and LNG Japan Corp (a joint venture
between Sumitomo Corp and Sojitz Holdings Corp) 7.35 pct.
The Tangguh enterprise, which is expected to last 30 years, entails the
production of natural gas from the Bintuni Bay area in the easternmost
province of Irian Jaya Barat, or Papua. The area has proven reserves of
14.4 trln cubic feet.
(1 usd = 9,095 rupiah)
roffie.kurniawan@xinhuafinance.com
---
http://www.unpo.org/article.php?id=6020
West Papua: Freeport Environmental Policies Questioned
2006-12-14
A Reuters News Service report recently revealed that the New York City
Comptroller who oversees the city’s pension funds has called for a review
of the environmental policies and practices of Freeport-McMoRan Copper &
Gold Inc in West Papua.
The New Orleans-based Freeport-McMoRan company, one of the world’s largest
gold and copper producers, derives most of its income from its Grasberg
mine in Indonesian occupied West Papua, the world’s largest copper and
gold mine by reserves.
The comptroller cited reports that Freeport-McMoRan dumps nearly 230,000
tonnes of waste a day, including toxic metals, into the local river
system. Meanwhile Indonesia’s Minister of the Environment last March
accused the miner of violating water quality regulations.
This year a landslide near the Grasberg mine killed three people and
injured dozens more.
"Freeport McMoRan’s poor environmental record needs to be examined", said
William Thompson the NYC Comptroller. "The least the company can do is
ensure that it is not causing environmental damage to the rivers and in
any way harming the people of Indonesia."
Review environmental policies
City pension funds for teachers, police, firefighters and other public
employees, which combined hold 544,458 Freeport shares worth about US$33.6
million, want shareholders at next year’s annual meeting to push Freeport
to review its environmental practices in Indonesia. Thompson called for a
report to shareholders from that study by next September.
A Freeport official declined immediate comment.
Thompson earlier this year asked the US Justice Department to investigate
if Freeport payments to Indonesian military forces violated the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act. He also asked the US Securities and Exchange
Commission to review Freeport’s 2004 and 2005 proxies to determine whether
it made misleading statements about those payments.
Last month Freeport agreed to acquire the much larger Phelps Dodge Corp, a
major copper producer, for US$25.9 billion. Phelps Dodge is also buying
into what is described as "one of the largest, highest-grade undeveloped
copper-cobalt deposits in the world today" in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
Freeport makes huge profits from the exploitation of West Papuan and
Indonesian labour. It is this situation that the recently signed agreement
between the Australian Howard Government and the Indonesian Government is
designed to protect by refusing any opportunity for West Papuan citizens
to escape the hell-hole created by Freeport and the Indonesian Government.
Source
The Guardian
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061218.G06
Mimika elections hindered by legislative row
National News - December 18, 2006
Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post, Timika
Regental elections in Mimika regency, Papua, are being hindered by the
absence of a legitimate legislative council, which has the authority to
endorse regency election candidates, Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said
Saturday.
Suebu said that this was caused by a lengthy dispute between
representatives of political parties coupled by the private interests of
high-ranking officials at the regency administration. The legislative
council is unable to function because the elected leader of the council
has not been installed yet.
Suebu made the remarks at the inauguration of Mimika regency
administration secretary Wilhelmus Haurissa as the caretaker of the
regency.
Wilhelmus will fill the vacuum after the term of Mimika regent Klemen
Tinal ended on Dec. 14.
Wilhelmus urged Papuan Governor Barnabas Suebu at the ceremony to help
settle the problem by providing facilities for the installation of the
chairman of the Mimika Legislative Council as soon as possible.
Suebu said that problems of the council had been discussed on several
occasions in Jayapura and Timika, but they always ended in a deadlock,
with the two opposing sides insisting on a win-lose solution in their
favor.
"I already discussed the matter with representatives of the Mimika General
Elections Commission (KPUD Mimika) last night as well. I emphasized that
the Mimika Legislative Council has to function soon...before the year's
end," he said.
Suebu expressed concern over the stance of both local leaders and
representatives of the political elite in Mimika regency whom he said were
mostly bent on pursuing their own interests.
Manipulation of the people's votes in the interests of political parties
and private interests constitutes the main source of conflict at the local
council, the governor said. The problem was worsened by "inappropriate"
decisions made by the old board of KPUD Mimika, he said without giving
details.
"We have to think clearly with our conscience to help settle the council
problem. About 80 percent of the problem has actually been settled, we
want to see the settlement of the rest as soon as possible," he said.
Suebu reiterated that the regency administration would not be able to run
properly if the voice of the people was ignored. Without a legislative
council it would mean nothing because the regency elections would be
delayed, he added.
He reiterated that the will to hold the election had to be given priority
under the new Papuan spirit, where there would be a big overhaul in the
bureaucracy in all provincial administration institutions.
The ultimate aim of this spirit, he asserted, is to improve the welfare of
the Papuan people.
---
http://www.thenational.com.pg/121806/column7.htm
Security pact of mutual suspicion
THE latest security agreement signed between Australia and Indonesia on
Nov 13 represents another attempt to patch up an unstable relationship. It
resembles the sort of prenuptial agreement that actors Elizabeth Taylor
and Richard Burton might have put together prior to their second attempt
at marriage.
The agreement is a grab bag of issues. There are nine separate
arrangements placed under an umbrella of what is termed “The Framework for
Security Co-operation”.
As a document it sets out, with admirable brevity, the fears of both
parties. It anticipates areas of future difficulty and seeks to put in
place mechanisms to protect national interest. It reeks of mutual
suspicion.
Rather than build bridges, it builds walls and it is full of silly,
meaningless statements such as (Article 2:3) “… including by those who
seek to use its territory for encouraging or committing such activities,
including separatism, in the territory of the other party”.
Things are bad in Australia but they are not that bad. What sort of
separatist activity in Australia did those drafting the agreement have in
mind?
Who drafts these agreements? Who checks them? What influenced the
collective Australian mindset to agree to the above flight from reality?
How is it possible that anyone in the department of foreign affairs and
trade (DFAT) or in government believes that a positive relationship could
be built from such a negative document?
Article 2:6 boldly affirms that, “Nothing in this agreement shall affect
in any way the existing rights and obligations of either party under
international law,” which of course negates Article 2:3 above.
The separatist movement in West Papua exists because of the human rights
abuses of the Indonesian military (TNI). The Australian government is a
signatory to UN conventions on human rights, refugees and children to name
but a few, which relate to the current situation prevailing in West Papua.
Before foreign aid workers and press flooded into Aceh following the
tsunami at the end of 2004, the region was under military law. There was a
civil war. Human rights were being transgressed daily.
The presence of outsiders meant the TNI had to lift their game, so much
so, that they were forced to enter into meaningful negotiations with the
Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Outside pressure, as a result of the natural
disaster, has brought positive benefit to the people of Aceh.
The primary role and function of the TNI is to hold the Indonesian
archipelago together. Without the TNI fulfilling this role, the
archipelago would break up. To prevent this happening, the TNI has, from
time to time, felt constrained to use force.
This has been accomplished with the use of weapons, beatings, detention,
rape, extortion and other forms of intimidation. It is the accomplishment
of unity by these means that many countries object to.
In the past, when it was felt necessary, Australia also made its
objections to the use of military violence. The TNI is supported in this
role by the Indonesian government.
Just as the territory of Indonesia cannot exist without the military,
neither can the “fledgling” democracy, as it is referred to in some
sections of the Australian media. Because of the nature of the Indonesian
state outlined above, democracy in Indonesia is forced to
exist within the framework provided by the military.
When Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer pledges to uphold the
territorial integrity of Indonesia, he is also pledging to uphold the role
of the military and unfortunately its methods. Were the role of the
military to be curtailed, the archipelago would break up as there is no
strong consensus holding it together.
The Indonesian archipelagic state is to all intents and purposes, a
Javanese empire and as such, the military enjoys a privileged position
within society, including with respect to the law. The agreement lists as
an objective the enhancement of TNI capabilities.
Experience has shown that improved skills and hardware will only make the
TNI more efficient at repression. The role of the TNI also has the effect
of making the archipelago unstable, its methods of compliance create
dissent.
The break-up of the archipelago would be no bad thing for many of the
people who live there and would improve Australia’s strategic outlook with
the resulting removal of the TNI from its loathed policing role.
It is hypocritical for Australian prime minister John Howard to berate
tyrants and tyrannical behaviour in other parts of the world and to ignore
what is happening in his own neighbourhood.
The TNI will take what they want from the agreement and ignore the rest.
The TNI does not want the Australian defence force chasing terrorists
within Indonesian territory and they will apparently achieve that
restraint with the agreement.
Otherwise the agreement is an exercise in elites engaging in diplomatic
denial and is not worth the paper it is written on. The agreement will
have a shelf life for as long as the next Javanese dummy spit.
The Indonesian ambassador has hardly had time to get back into the social
whirl since he stormed out of Canberra in March. I would have thought
there was a lot to be done before embarking on this agreement.
The Howard government might begin by showing respect for Islam and its
practitioners, particularly Australian Muslims, get out of Iraq and begin
a process of forging close ties with people throughout the archipelago. –
onlineopinion
*The writer is a retired Australian diplomat. He worked on Indonesian
affairs and has written many articles, papers and a book on issues
relating to Indonesia. He comments on international and domestic issues
and farms olives and grapes at Mudgee, New South Wales.
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20061219.G11&irec=10
Reforestation program launched in Papua
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Kaban on Monday launched a reforestation
program at the Waena campground in Jayapura, Papua, after signing a
cooperation agreement with the Papua chapter of the Indonesian National
Youth Committee (KNPI).
The launch of the program, part of efforts to ensure the sustainability of
Papua's forest resources, was marked with the planting of 2,000 merbau
seedlings on a one-hectare plot of land. The program eventually will be
expanded to other regencies in Papua.
A heavy rain that fell on the campground did not discourage the minister
and about 300 KNPI members (photo above). "The rain shows that God
approves and blesses our program. He is sending the rain to help the trees
grow," Kaban said.
The Papua chapter of the Indonesian National Youth Committee hope to make
this new program a centerpiece of its efforts to protect the area's
forests.
"All youths are expected to take part in this program. Their participation
can include planting and tending to the trees, or preventing them from
being burned down or illegally felled," said Rifai Darus, the chairman of
the KNPI Papua chapter.
He said it was hoped the program would come to involve all residents, with
the ultimate goal being to have each resident plant at least three trees.
"The population of Papua is about two million. If each person planted
three trees there would be six million trees. We will green Papua," he
said.
The forestry minister also urged every citizen to get involved in the
critical effort to protect the country's forests.
Kaban said the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Forestry
Ministry and the KNPI was not merely ceremonial, but would lead to real
action.
Marthen Kayooi, chairman of the Papua Forestry Office, said about 3.6
million hectares of land in Papua were in critical need of regreening.
---
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061214.G03
Chinese team in Papua as part of proposed hydroelectric power project
National News - December 14, 2006
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Oksibil
The Chinese government plans to build a micro-hydroelectric power plant in
Papua as part of a pilot project.
Seven experts from China have been sent to survey the proposed location of
the plant in Oksibil, the capital of Pegunungan Bintang regency.
The Chinese surveyors, led by Yan Shuanghong, were greeted Wednesday by
Regent Wellington Wenda, who accompanied them by helicopter to the
proposed site of the plant along the Oksibil River, about seven kilometers
from the city center.
Also accompanying the Chinese surveyors was a team from Energy and Mineral
Resources Ministry's Research and Development Agency.
"The water is deep enough for a hydroelectric plant," Shuanghong said
after the survey.
He said the river could be harnessed to generate 200-300 kilowatts of
electricity.
Shuanghong said the Chinese government would provide a grant to build the
plant. However, he said the two countries had to finish working out the
details of the project before construction could begin.
Regent Wellington said he was grateful for the Chinese government's
interest in helping the regency cope with chronic power shortages.
The administration allocates about Rp 3 billion (US$326,086) annually to
supply electricity for residents.
However, electricity is still only available five hours a day, from 7 p.m.
to midnight.
"The money is allocated to buy fuel to run a generator," Wellington said,
promising his administration's full support for the power project.
---
International Human Rights Day' benefit music event
Wednesday 20th December 2006 8pm - 2am
Merdeka @ Babalou (formerly the Bug Bar), Brixton.
FREE ENTRY ALL NIGHT
A night of global beats and freestyle rhythms; Latin, Afrobeat,
Reggae, Buddha beats, Asian Rhythms, Funk & Soul
Featuring DJs from all corners of the globe:
DJ Cliffy (Future World Funk / Batmacumba)
Offshore (PirateTV)
Icon (Kodojolan)
Cesar R (City Soul)
Acevedo (Afrocentric)
+ live acts:
- UK Hip-Hop crew Rebel Alliance
- African drumming & percussionism
+ visuals + global cuisine
** copies of the forthcoming benefit release CD for West Papuan
freedom, 'Merdeka', will be available on the night**

Further info:
info@dancingturtle.co.uk / www.dancingturtle.co.uk
Venue info:
Babalou, The Crypt, St Matthews Church, Brixton, SW2 1JF (3 mins
walk from Brixton tube) www.babalou.net
FREE ENTRY ALL NIGHT LONG!!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------
The Forum for 'friends of Peoples close to Nature' is a movement of
groups and individuals, concerned with the survival of Tribal peoples
and their culture, in particular hunter-gatherers. These were the
first and are the last societies on earth to have a non-exploitative
relationship with the natural word. Our task is to help them preserve
their unique cultures from enforced assimilation, alien religions,
the ideologies of 'progress' and 'growth' and absorption into the
global economy.
fPcN interCultural: www.fPcN-global.org
Chat to us: http://www.fpcn-global.org/chat/irc.html
---
============================================================================
KABAR IRIAN ("Irian News since 1994") www.kabar-irian.com
NOTE: "All items are posted for their news/information content. They are
not necessarily the views of IRJA.org or subscribers. "